Maria Sharapova will appeal two-year suspension

Former world No. 1 Maria Sharapova has been suspended for two years following a positive test for the banned drug meldonium. Sharapova has replied that the punishment was "unfairly harsh," and is appealing the International Tennis Foundation's decision.

The ITF announced that the suspension would be backdated to Jan. 26, which invalidates Sharapova's quarterfinals performance in January's Australian Open. It was at that event where Sharapova's test turned up positive. The ITF indicated that her suspension had been backdated because of Sharapova's "prompt admission" of guilt.

Sharapova pleaded her case before a tribunal in May, and after the ITF announced the suspension, took to her Facebook page to present her side to the public. "The ITF spent tremendous amounts of time and resources trying to prove I intentionally violated the anti-doping rules and the tribunal concluded I did not," Sharapova wrote. "You need to know that the ITF asked the tribunal to suspend me for four years—the required suspension for an intentional violation—and the tribunal rejected the ITF's position. While the tribunal concluded correctly that I did not intentionally violate the anti-doping rules, I cannot accept an unfairly harsh two-year suspension."

Sharapova announced the positive finding on March 7 in a sudden, surprise news conference. At the time, she noted that meldonium had been legal up until Jan. 1 of this year. Sharapova conceded that she had not paid attention to the repeated warnings to stop the usage of meldonium, which can aid in endurance and rehabilitation.

The suspension will affect Sharapova's earnings potential as well as her career; TAG Heuer dropped her as a spokesperson, and Nike and Porsche, among others, have put distance between themselves and Sharapova. She has earned more than $200 million in endorsements against $36 million in on-court earnings.

"I don't want to end my career this way," Sharapova said in March. "I really hope I will be given another chance to play this game." Any chance, at the moment, will have to wait until 2018.

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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports and the author of EARNHARDT NATION, on sale now at Amazon or wherever books are sold. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter or on Facebook.